NFL Championship Weekend Pre-Game Analysis: Philadelphia at Arizona

Philadelphia Do’s and Don’t’s:

Do knock the stuffing out of Kurt Warner. Yes ... I'm repeating myself ... AGAIN. Neither Atlanta nor Carolina listened to me and see what happened to them. Props go to Mike Florio at PFT who reminded the world of 12/01/2002 ... the day the Eagles showed the world how to stop Kurt Warner.

Do pay close attention to the common mistakes that Atlanta and Carolina made on offense against the Cardinals. Atlanta ran 24 times and threw the ball 40 times. Carolina ran the ball 15 times and went to the air 35 times. That equates to 2 key mistakes made by each of Arizona's postseason opponents thus far: 1) Forfeiting any chance at winning the time of possession battle; 2) Stepping away from what they did best (which was running the football). Don't go all pass happy (HINT ... that message is for Andy Reid), but at the same time, don't give up what you do best. So incorporate those screens to Westbrook and Buckhalter ... but let them run it up the gut too.

Do make use of DeSean Jackson in every aspect of the passing game. That means, let him run quick slants, let him run some out patterns, and definitely let him just sprint downfield a few times. Arizona has some talented DBs (read: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie), and moving your most talented WR to different spots throughout the game will enable him to keep the secondary guessing.

Don’t let Larry Fitzgerald get you down. He WILL make some phenomenal catches throughout the game, even if you have 5 guys covering him. So WHEN he makes those catches, pat him on the ass and compliment him ... but only after you've tackled him HARD. The other key is to force all of his catches to be tough grabs ... do NOT leave him wide open (like Carolina did all day long).

Don’t let Donovan McNabb forget the benching. Dude has been playing with a massive chip on his shoulder since the Baltimore game. He should have carried that chip since the T.O. drama unfolded in Philly ... but he didn't. Now that he is carrying it, don't let him forget it ... as long as it's there, McNabb will remember that he has something to prove ... and it can only be proven with a victory on February 1, 2009.

Arizona Do’s and Don’t’s:

Do keep the motivation up. Nobody expected you to win against Atlanta 2 weeks ago, let alone be hosting the NFC Championship game. You were underdogs at home to Atlanta and were 9.5 point underdogs to the Panthers. After two impressive wins, you are at home again, and AGAIN are underdogs to the Eagles (by 3.5 points). If that's not locker room board material, I don't know what is.

Do keep on executing your playoff game plan. On offense you have mixed it up quite a bit, and actually ran the ball 15 more times than you passed it last week! The shift away from a pass-heavy offense has befuddled opponents thus far. On defense, the incredible showing thus far has everyone drawing comparison's to the transformation that the 2006 Colts defense went through between the regular and post seasons. Stick to the game plan this week ... it's worked so far, why shouldn't it work again?

Do watch the Redskins/Eagles game from December 21. Washington played a very effective scheme against the Eagles. Even if the receivers hadn't dropped a half-dozen of McNabb's passes, the Skins were the only team to effectively contain McNabb and his offense after Week 12.

Don’t expect Larry Fitzgerald to have the same game this week as he did last week, especially if Anquan Boldin isn't back in the lineup. Philly has one of the best (if not the best) secondaries in the NFL. There will not be many (or potentially any) wide gaps for Warner to find Fitz through this week. The only way to create the mismatches is to spread the ball around early.

Don’t ignore either Edge or Tim Hightower. Last week Edge had 3 more carries than Timmy, but finished with 19-yards less. That's OK. The youth/experience 1-2 punch will serve you well in trying to wear down Philadelphia's front seven. If each back runs at least 15 times at the Philly D, those guys will be dead tired in the 4th quarter.

Key Matchups:

When Philadelphia has the ball
Rookie WR DeSean Jackson vs. Rookie CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
Both young men were highlighted by Armin in his Rookie Year End Report, although Jackson didn't make the top-10 for his side of the ball. Cromartie, on the other hand, was the #3 defensive rookie, by Armin's standards. These two young stars will definitely go head-to-head at least a few times on Sunday, and the outcome could very well hinge on whether Jackson beats Cromartie for a TD, or whether Dominique out-leaps DeSean for an INT.

When Arizona has the ball
QB Kurt Warner vs. DEs Trent Cole and Darren Howard
This was actually a tough call, because the WR/DB matchups will be solid as well when the Cards have the rock. However, in order for the receivers and the secondary to have a chance to battle it out, Kurt Warner will have to be able to get the ball downfield. Trent Cole and Darren Howard, however, have other plans for the future spokesperson for Depends. The two DEs combined for 19 sacks on the season, and they have a coordinator in Jim Johnson who has a PhD in bringing the pressure on opposing QBs. If Warner can avoid the pressure, it will be a tiring day for the Eagles secondary. If, however, Warner is reminded of that cold Philly day in December 2002 when he was sacked 8 times and picked off twice ... well then I guess the Eagles will be going to Tampa.

The product endorsements will never end ...

Intangibles:

Start Time
So I made a mistake last week. Okay, I made many mistakes last week. However, the one I'm thinking about is when I focused so much attention on Arizona's poor performances on the East Coast. What made it a mistake was that I ignored the fact that all of the Cardinals games out east in the regular season had 1 PM start times, whereas last week's game was in primetime. As one of the Fox commentators noted (sorry, can't remember which one), Kurt Warner has a fairly elaborate and intricate routine on gamedays, which involves studying game film, going over the playbook, time for personal reflection, as well as other components. A 1 PM game on the East Coast translates to a 10 AM game out west, thus compressing the time that Warner has to prepare for kickoff. So, the question for this week becomes: will a 12 Noon kickoff time give Warner enough time to go through his normal routine?

Injuries
Yes, this is a cliché intangible. However, I'm only using it in reference to two players: Anquan Boldin and Brian Westbrook. The extent to which each athlete, and therefore able to perform to the best of his ability, will determine how effective his offense will be. At the same time, both teams have proved themselves capable to win without these star players. But this is no ordinary game, this is the Conference Championship ... and both defensive units will be out for blood. Arizona needs Boldin to play at full strength and Philadelphia needs a solid showing by Westbrook.

Sum Picking Arizona Playoff Games
I have now picked the Cardinals to lose each playoff game, and have been wrong twice. Will the opposite of my prediction occur again? Look down to see what I say ... and you may want to place money on the exact opposite result.

Final Score Prediction:
Philadelphia's defense powers the way to another attempt at the Super Bowl: 27-13.

2008 Season NFL Predictions

Last year I began what I hoped would become an annual tradition. Making my NFL regular season and playoff predictions by going through and picking a winner in each of the 256 games played during the regular season. Following that, I determine which teams make the playoffs by handling all tie-breakers according to NFL rules. And unlike many other "professional" sports writers, I held myself accountable before the next season, taking myself to task when I f'd up, and patting myself on the back for the few correct things (like picking the Chiefs to go 4-12).

Without further ado, here are my predictions for the 2008-2009 NFL Season, berate them as you must:

NFC
NFC East *Dallas 13-3 **Philadelphia 10-6 NY Giants 8-8 Washington 6-10 Dallas is clearly the class of this division. The high powered offense plus the mean defense means another dominant season for Jerry Jones’ squad. Meanwhile, the Iggles should be back behind D-McNabb and Westbrook. The Giants defense is too banged up to be able to drag the offense into the playoffs again. And the Redskins will have growing pains under first year coach Jim Zorn.	NFC North *Minnesota 12-4 Green Bay 8-8 Chicago 5-11 Detroit 4-12 Minnesota should do very well this season, despite having Tarvaris Jackson at the helm. But if he plays the “Trent Dilfer” role, then the Vikes will be atop the Norris division again. Green Bay will perform decently as Aaron Rodgers gets used to leading the team, but they’ll be better next year. Chicago is slightly less abysmal with Orton at QB. Detroit … well, Matt Millen will somehow avoid being fired.
NFC South *Carolina 11-5 **New Orleans 10-6 Tampa Bay 7-9 Atlanta 4-12 Carolina will work out some early season kinks and Delhomme will find his touch just in time to guide the Panthers well. The Saints will also be back in the mix of things with their high-powered offense and average defense. Tampa will try a few different QBs and stumble their way through a sub-par season. Atlanta may finish with the same record as last year, but they’ll be a stronger team as Matt Ryan gets his NFL education.	NFC West *Seattle 12-4 San Francisco 6-10 Arizona 6-10 St. Louis 5-11 A piss poor division to say the least. Seattle is a solid team surrounded by mediocrity. The Hawks will follow their defense and a running back by committee routine to the top of the division. San Fran will have a steady hand in J.T. O’Sullivan, but will have enough troubles to avoid achieving success. The Cardinals are still mired in their QB controversy, and I don’t see it going away. The Rams … well, they need an overhaul at WR and QB.
Tie breaker note: MIN gets the 2-seed due to a better in-conference record than SEA; NO gets the 5-seed by virtue of a better won-lost-tied percentage than PHI in common games.
AFC
AFC East *New England 13-3 NY Jets 9-7 Buffalo 5-11 Miami 5-11 The Pats will not finish undefeated again, an aging defense will stop that from happening. However, they’re still atop the AFC and will dominate the East. The Jets will bounce back from the garbage they fed their fans last year, but the vanilla offense led by Favre will be figured out by teams as the season goes on. Buffalo and Miami are both better than their records suggest, but each still has some bugs to work out before they can crack an 8-8 season.	AFC North *Pittsburgh 10-6 Cleveland 8-8 Cincinnati 5-11 Baltimore 4-12 Pittsburgh wins this division, almost by default. Even with a diminished offensive line, they should win out here. Cleveland isn’t as bad as their 8-8 finish, but they won’t be in contention for the playoffs this year. Anderson’s magical ride will start to turn sour and we’ll see the rise of Brady Quinn. Cincy may or may not have Chad Ocho Cinco, depending on his torn labrum, but even with him, the defense is too weak to have much success in the AFC. The Ravens are too green on the offense and too old on the defense.
AFC South *Indianapolis 12-4 **Jacksonville 11-5 Tennessee 9-7 Houston 7-9 The Colts have a nice strangle-hold on the South … even though they’re in the Midwest. Peyton has plenty of targets, and he’ll make use of all of them. The Jaguars like what they have on the offense, and Matt Jones may finally emerge as a solid receiver. The Titans need Vince Young to learn to throw the ball before they become a truly serious threat. Houston will need to solve its running back quartet before they can truly expect to compete for a playoff spot in the AFC.	AFC West *San Diego 13-3 **Denver 11-5 Oakland 4-12 Kansas City 3-13 Norv Turner may just have a heart attack. Poor guy isn’t used to this success thing, but when L.T. leads your team, it’s hard not to find it. I expect Denver to have a solid season with Jay Cutler having his diabetes under control and finding rhythm with both Brandon Marshall and Tony Scheffler. Oakland’s record is tied to the health of Darren McFadden and the use of outlet receivers by JaMarcus Russell. Kansas City is just bad. Barring a return to glory by L.J., they’ll be worse than last year.
Tie breaker note: NE gets the 1 seed by virtue of a head-to-head win over SD. JAC gets the 5-seed due to a head-to-head win over DEN.

Wildcard Playoffs (winner in Italics)

Philadelphia at Seattle – Seattle has had an awesome home advantage in the playoffs in recent history. That continues against the more talented Philly team.

New Orleans at Carolina – Carolina let the Saints win the regular season finale since that really wouldn’t affect their playoff stance. However, the real Carolina team shows up this time.

Denver at Indianapolis – Cutler performs remarkably throughout the season, and gives Peyton a run for his money in this match-up. Ultimately, however, the Colts are a far more complete team than the Broncos.

Jacksonville at Pittsburgh – Garrard and MoJoDro lead the way as the Steelers don’t even put up a real fight.

Divisional Playoffs

Carolina at Dallas – Another year, another playoff disappointment for Tony Romo. Marion Barber, III plays his heart out, but in the end it’ll be the two-headed rushing attack of Carolina that’ll leave T.O. in tears again.

Seattle at Minnesota – Seattle’s defensive line will put way too much pressure on Tarvaris Jackson to allow the mediocre QB to do anything other than hand the ball off. The lack of a passing game will be enough to allow Seattle to squeak by the Vikes.

Jacksonville at New England – Wow. This AFC Divisional round looks kinda similar, no? The result of this portion will look similar as well, with Tom Brady looking picture perfect in a nail-biter against the talented Jags.

Indianapolis at San Diego – This half of the AFC Divisional round, however, won’t be a repeat. Indy romps the Bolts in San Diego, setting up football’s equivalent of Nadal vs. Federer in the AFC Championship game.

Conference Finals

Seattle at Carolina – The Panthers return to the Super Bowl, this time following the lead of Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams. Delhomme likes having more than one option at WR, and guides his team past a stingy Seattle defense.

Indianapolis at New England – Tom Brady has one thing on his mind … another Super Bowl ring. Joe Cool, Jr. is up to the task and directs his less talented team to a nice victory in the frigid Massachusetts weather.

Super Bowl

Carolina vs. New England – I don’t like predicting repeats of recent Super Bowls (especially if there’s no chance of a repeated wardrobe malfunction), but I guess I’m really high on the Panthers this season. On paper, the Panthers should win this one with their strong offense against the aging Pats defense. But that won’t happen. New England makes up for it’s crappy play in the last Super Bowl and wins this one 24-20.

Tuesday Forecast: Week 12

Be forewarned. I won’t mention the words “Eagles” or “Patriots” in this upcoming article. Well, not as much as you might expect me to. Honestly, unless you’re brain-dead, you’d be clueless not to have heard too much analysis on the following issues:
1) Donovan McNabb’s job status in relation to AJ Feeley
2) The “blueprint” to beat the Patriots (or at least give them a close game)
3) The emergence of Wes Welker as perhaps the elite possession receiver in the NFL
4) Bill Belichick’s constant stress of fall fashion

Moving along…

#1. Cleveland and Tampa Bay are “those teams”

Almost every season, the AFC and NFC deliver a team or two that surprises all preseason expectations and makes the playoffs. Whether it is a team like the Jets last year (I need to promote something positive out of NYC this week), it’s ironic how quickly 6-10 expectations can turn into a 10-6 reality. This year is no exception. The AFC has the surprisingly 7-4 wild-card slotted Cleveland Browns and the NFC has the NFC South leading 7-4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (by 2 games over the Saints). Yesterday, Washington was in the Christmas spirit a month early and the Bucs were given a key victory. This was a victory that last year’s team was unlikely to win. But things change that quickly in the Not For Long. Similarly, the Browns took care of business against a pesky Houston team despite a shaky first half. Whether Derek Anderson is the future in Cleveland is a legitimate question. Ditto for Earnest Graham in Tampa. So much for high-draft picks, right? More importantly, two coaches on the tip of the hot seat at season’s beginning are suddenly looking at potential extensions. To think that these two teams were overwhelming choices in August and early September to lose double-digit games is an afterthought. Now, they’re legitimate playoff contenders.

#2. Welcome to Seattle, Patrick Kerney

Two years ago, the Seattle Seahawks overcame their playoff dropsies and marched to Super Bowl XL. They played a flat game and lost out to some trick plays by Steelers, and yes, some dropsies when it mattered the most. So they dumped All-World guard Steve Hutchinson and picked up two players for a little over $100-million. While I commend them for making a push for then-injured Julian Peterson, WR Nate Burleson was a waste of money. Big time. Especially considering that money could’ve easily gone to Hutchinson (who could’ve spent his entire career side-by-side with potential Hall of Famer Walter Jones). This off-season, the Hawks addressed a gaping hole. One never filled by underachieving Grant Wistrom. Enter Patrick Kerney.

While missing 7 games last season and only registering 4.5 sacks, the Hawks didn’t hesitate in doling out the big bucks to Kerney. In return, through 11 games, he has delivered them 10.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles. Not a bad investment for a team with a two-game division lead and a potential 1st-round home playoff game at 7-4.

#3. Don’t do it! DON’T!

Why Mike Shanahan would choose to kick directly at All-World Kick Returner Devin Hester, three times no less, is beyond me. Sure he can burn you once, or twice, but why allow him three times? I know you’re thinking about checking the box score to make sure Hester didn’t take a hat trick worth of TDs back. Don’t worry…he didn’t. However, Todd Sauerbrun tried to kick the air of the ball during his last punt. Of course, it wound up blocked and the Bears received the ball inside the Broncos’ 20-yard line. The cliché, “a loss that may haunt them at season’s end” has never been so poignant. Funny how things work out when you’re terrified of the NFL’s most dominant return man ever. Sorry, Vai Sikahema.

#4. Turkey Day Tanking

I know the schedule makers have their work cut out for them every season; however, this year’s Thanksgiving Day games just plain stunk. Detroit lost by 99 more than 9, the Jets had more punts than first downs until late in the game and I won’t even mention the atrocities coming out of “Hotlanta” this season either. While it was nice to see three stud QBs (Favre, Romo and Manning, respectively) at very different times – or perhaps “primes” – in their career, the opposing QBs (Kitna, Clemens and Harrington, respectively) ruined what could’ve been a holiday tripleheader delight.

Until next time…

Clement’s Weekly Picks & Prognostications…Week 3

Not my strongest showing last week, but I credit myself for being gutsy enough to think the Colts could outmatch the Titans and the Eagles wouldn’t come out nearly as flat in their home-opener

We’ve learned a few NFL-related things thus far. They include:











Credit: Yahoo! Sports



A) The Patriots don’t care if Belicheat did in fact cheat. They love him and are primed to win him a fourth Super Bowl.
B) Many of the 2-0 teams may not see double-digit wins, but they’re far more likely to than some of the surprising 0-2 teams.
C) San Diego under Norv Turner was completely overrated in the pre-season (even though they did open w/ Chicago and New England).
D) Vince Young is a legit MVP candidate. Despite a questionable supporting cast, the Titans will be in almost every game they play.
E) The NFC North is wide open.
F) Nothing too tumultuous from TO or Randy Moss yet; except 3 TDs a piece.
G) Jamal Lewis had more yards on a TD run last week than LT has all season. Interesting, even if only after two weeks.
H) Justin McCarreins should be cut. No questions asked.

As for this weekend, we’re coming fast and furious with picks and prognostications for everyone to enjoy!

NFL Picks: [3-3]
Dallas @ Chicago [-3]









Credit: Yahoo! Sports








In primetime, the Bears made a definitive stand against the Giants last season. However, Dallas (2 Sunday Night appearance in 3 weeks) has displayed a top offensive arsenal. The real question becomes: Can Rex Grossman and Bernard Berrian wreak havoc on a relatively poor Cowboys secondary? Maybe a little. Stick with the Boys to bust the spread, who won’t allow Devin Hester to bail out Grossman this weekend.

San Diego [-4.5] @ Green Bay












Credit: Yahoo! Sports


If the Chargers fall to 1-2, Norv Turner is in serious trouble of losing the confidence of this team if he hasn’t already. Green Bay’s stud corners are highly underrated these days. Yet, its Antonio Gates that may be the most troubling for the Pack defense. Until Jackson/Wynn show me a little more, I’m taking the Chargers behind LT to bounce back big time and spank the overachieving Pack.

Tennessee @ New Orleans [-4]












Credit: Yahoo! Sports

It’s a real treat to see Vince Young finally get the Monday Night treatment. The Saints know that their pre-season expectations are done with now that they are 0-2. While neither team can afford a loss, win or lose, Vince Young’s playmaking ability will keep this game within 3 points.

NCAA Picks: [3-0]
#12 South Carolina @ #2 LSU [-16.5]










Credit: Yahoo! Sports

-Make sure you know that this game is at 3:30 pm and not in primetime. That matters when you consider how tough the Bayou Bengals can be at night. Just ask Sean Glennon. Spurrier has his highest ranking as a Gamecock, but reality will set in – big time – when he loses by more than 3 TDs to the nation’s roughest and toughest defense.
As for the fantasy side of things…

3 Must Starts and 3 Must Sits:
START
…Last Week…
Willis McGahee: He wasn’t a stud, but a TD and nearly 100 yards rushing means he was nowhere near a dud.
Donald Driver: That 4th-quarter TD made everything just fine for his owners.
Maurice Jones-Drew: Yeah, about that…

….This Week…
Larry Johnson: He may have another tough matchup against a staunch Vikes rush D, but learn this lesson: NEVER SIT LJ WHEN HE’S HEALHY. NEVER!
Chad Pennington: If he goes, start him. Ditto if it’s Clemens. The Fins D looks downright abysmal at times.
Santana Moss: If Campbell hadn’t grossly overthrown him late in the game, Moss would’ve had a fantastic primetime performance. Next up: The Giants. Get ready for a feast of points!

SIT
…Last Week…
Antwaan Randel-El: He almost had a spectacular TD for his owners. Almost.
Jerricho Cotchery: Who else knew the Jets would look so good in the 4th quarter? Whoops.
Laurence Maroney: All those TDs for the Pats and still a quiet night for their #1 back. I knew Brady would bamboozle the highly overrated Charger “secondary”.

…This Week…
Phillip Rivers: If you have another option at QB, try it out. Rivers looked poor in his mechanics and in his confidence. Screaming and throwing stuff on the sidelines never is a good sign.
Byron Leftwich: Don’t do it. Even if you think Harrington will get the axe at halftime. Just don’t.
Kevin Curtis: No Eagle wideout deserves to be started anytime soon. None of them. Well…maybe Harold Carmichael.

If I said anymore, you’d walk right out of the theater.

Until next time…

PHSports Super Bowl Predictions

We are no longer days, but hours from Super Bowl XLI. The anticipation must be just plain brutal for anyone supporting either of the two participants. After being fed a plethora of information, mostly useless from the exhaustive coverage of Super Week, the contributors of PHSports are doing exactly what everyone else is doing ... yes, we are predicting the Super Bowl!

Super Bowl XLI:
Chicago vs. Indianapolis (-7)

Clement
The Bears have a strong recipe to win. They run well up the middle, have solid slot guys, and can push the Colts corners into single coverage with an amazing, roaming set of linebackers. Addai and Rhodes will 125+ on the ground to keep the pressure off of Manning. In the end, it's all about the defensive lines' ability to fluster the opposing QB and force mistakes. While Anderson and Ogunleye were amazing in the NFC title game, I'll take Freeney against Rex in warm weather. Something tells me Adam will be involved. Peyton gets his ring, but it won't be easy.
Score: 27-23 Colts
MVP: Peyton Manning

Fuego
The play of Rex Grossman will determine who wins this game. Peyton Manning will undoubtedly have some big pass plays and the Bears defense will have key stops as well, including a turnover or two. Two key factors in this game: How well can the Colts special teams keep Devin Hester a non-factor (and do so without giving them good field position). Secondly, can Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson be effective enough to give Grossman chances downfield. I think Rex will have a huge game if the Colts plan on putting 7 and 8 people in the box.
Score: 31-27 Bears
MVP: Rex Grossman

Armin
Simplicity. Super Bowl XLI focuses on one story. Will Peyton Manning put his name up there with Joe Montana, Troy Aikman, and John Elway? Will the tenacious Chicago Bears defense, reduced to the role of antagonist, spoil the day for the NFL's poster-boy? While several other sub-plots will be at play, like Rex Grossman's performance and an African-American coach winning the Super Bowl, most eyes will watch Peyton's quest for greatness. In the end, we will see Peyton silence the doubters with an MVP performance.
Score: 34-27 Colts
MVP: Peyton Manning

Sum
While the media is hyperventilating over Grossman's crappy play and Manning's dream come true, I think this game will come down to the running game. If Lovie Smith is a smart guy, he won't shy away from the run, and 25 of the Bears' first 30 plays will be runs. But, this is the Colts' game to lose. With an incredible QB, multiple solid receiving threats, a power and finesse run attack, and a rejuvenated defense, my brain and all logic says the Colts win. But my gut tells me they won't.
Score: 24-20 Bears
MVP: Devin Hester

Paymon
We know all the facts, but the game is played to disprove them. Ball security, Grossman's reaction to the Cover 2 scheme, and the Bears' ability to run the ball effectively will determine their fate. Somehow, the Colts continue to win without the normal formula for a Super Bowl participant, let alone a champion. I see this one as a battle throughout with the Colts edging the Bears with an amazing effort from an unexpected source.
Score: 23-20 Colts
MVP: Joseph Addai

Is the Super Bowl a Bland Game?
by Chris Clement

Super Bowls typically are rather boring games. Last year, most thought the Steelers would cruise to victory. While the score favored that notion, several terrible calls at key junctures marred that game. Big Ben didn't get in, DJax's push-off was way too ticky-tack, and the Steelers got away with a lot of holding penalties on Tubbs and Wistrom. In spite of the egregious calls, that still doesn't keep me from saying the Steelers won, thanks to some great playcalling from Whisenhunt.

Point is: Most Super Bowl are pretty bland. Let's look briefly at the last ten for further evidence.

XL- Pittsburgh defeats Seattle in a terrible game. The Hawks get their one TD after Jeramy Stevens drops five or six passes.
XXXIX- Patriots over Eagles. Pretty lackluster. Nice catch from Greg Lewis. McNabb pukes and the Eagles seem futile in their final drive.
XXXVIII-Patriots over Panthers. DeShaun Foster has the play of the game. Bunch of sloppy posessions in a bad first quarter. Kasay shanks a key kickoff. Brady does it again. Very average.
XXXVII-Tampa Bay spanks Oakland. Barrett Robins got more attention than any other Raider. Gannon throws 2 TDs to the Raiders and 3 to the Bucs. Simeon Rice gets jobbed for the MVP by Dexter Jackson of all people. BORING to watch Michael Pittman run well.
XXXVI-New England over St. Louis. Ty Law owns Kurt Warner. The Rams play sloppy and the Proehl TD and Brady's drive make the 4th quarter the only quarter worthwhile. It was a good upset, but not the "American Dream" story that Boston sportswriters tried to make it.
XXXV-Baltimore over NY Giants. Wow, this one sucked balls. Giants scored their only TD on special teams, no less. Collins sucked. Ray had 6 tackles and an MVP.
XXXIV-Rams over Titans. PLEASE don't overrate this. It was a fantastic 4th quarter, but sucked until then. Mike Jones' tackle should've earned him an MVP. Warner somehow threw for 400+ yards this game.
XXXIII-Denver over Atlanta. Should've been the Vikes, if not for the ageless Gary Anderson. FB Howard Griffith had two TDs. Elway's swansong sucked. Eugene Robinson's arrest was the highlight for the Falcons.
XXXII-Denver over Green Bay. Probably the best of the bunch. Good 1st, sloppy second and third, and Elway was fantastic in the 4th. The helicopter was fun. Still, nothing compared to Bills/Giants (which is the best Super Bowl of my lifetime that I watched).
XXXI-Green Bay over New England. Nobody thought New England had a shot. Reggie was great, Favre was Favre, and Desmond Howard stole the spotlight. It wasn't nearly as exciting to see as John Madden tried to make it.
XXX-Dallas over Pittsburgh. Cowboys played flat, but won thanks to Larry Brown being lost and Neil O'Donnell finding him. Great signing, Jets. As for the game, Switzer was the coach. By the way, Gumby could've coached this team to victory.

As for this year, I could analyze all day, but I won't. Honestly, I have zero idea. Colts can't fall behind by 10 to this team. But isn't Rex due for a pick-six? Or two of them? Or three? Who knows? I would like to see Peyton/Dungy/Harrison overcome it, but Rex with a ring sounds like my favorite f-u to the media. Or "POW!" as Armin likes to say.

I'm just glad that I won't have to watch Belichick in his ridiculous sweatshirt with cut-off sleeves this weekend. Tool.

Editor's note: PHSports Super Bowl Predictions will be out tomorrow!